Israel says it’s arming clans to fight Hamas in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel is arming clans in the Gaza Strip to combat Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that Israel has been fighting for almost 20 months.
Netanyahu issued a video statement acknowledging that Israel had “activated” clans that oppose Hamas, saying the move would help save the lives of Israeli soldiers.
The prime minister made the statement after Avigdor Lieberman, a right-wing lawmaker and former deputy prime minister who is opposed to Netanyahu, leaked the news that Israel was arming Palestinian factions in Gaza and warned that the weapons could eventually be turned on Israel’s own troops, who are engaged in a large-scale offensive to take control of the coastal enclave and destroy Hamas.
Lieberman claimed in an interview with an Israeli broadcaster that the “Israeli government is giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons identified with Islamic State, at the direction of the prime minister.” NPR has been unable to substantiate the claim.
Israel media identified one of the recipients of Israeli support as a gang led by Yasser Abu Shabab, who has been accused by other Palestinians of looting U.N. aid convoys in recent months, adding to the widespread hunger caused by Israel’s restrictions on supplies coming into Gaza.
But Abu Shabab has recently tried to rebrand himself as a militia leader fighting Hamas and securing the delivery of food to Gazans, and has posted pictures of himself and his men armed and in uniform.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
